PRESS ROOM - Foundation Press Release

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July 16, 2010 -  Marion County supports resolution to conserve roadside wildflowers (download odf)
In a unanimous vote, Marion County Commissioners passed a resolution last week supporting the use and preservation of Florida’s native wildflowers along Marion County roads, in parks and at managed municipal areas. 

July 14, 2010 - Florida Wildflower Foundation receives 2 VISIT FLORIDA grants (download odf)
The Florida Wildflower Foundation, Maitland, has received two grants from VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s official source for travel planning. The grants will help launch wild-flower viewing as an ecotourism opportunity in La Florida, “land of flowers.”

Contact: Claudia Larsen, Florida Wildflower Foundation, Seeds for School grant administrator; SFS@flawildflowers.org

Let’s Bring Nature to Classrooms – Volunteer for Seeds for Schools

Last spring the Florida Wildflower Foundation initiated a new grant program called Seeds for Schools. This grant provides a $50 certificate for wildflower seeds from the Florida Wildflower Seed and Plant Growers Association, planting instructions, a wildflower garden sign and learning resources. The application period of four weeks was reduced to only 10 days because of overwhelming response. Although 20 initial grants were scheduled for awards, the FWF Board of Directors voted to fund all 80 applications.

In May 2010, teachers were asked to identify their wildflower garden site and get project approval from school principals. Site preparation, seed selection and planting will begin in the fall.

Initiating a garden with a group of students can be overwhelming for a single teacher. They need your help for success! The FWF invites Master Gardeners, Florida Native Plant Society and Federation of Garden Club members to consider volunteering at a school near you. Your valuable gardening experience could ensure a successful garden and help children learn appreciation for all the wonderful aspects of nature in Florida. Your assistance can take the form of advice on wildflowers species to plant; help with garden design, preparation and maintenance; or taking part in curriculum activities designed for outdoor classrooms.

Grants were awarded to elementary, middle and high schools in the following counties: Alachua, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Hillsborough, Indian River, Jefferson, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Manatee, Martin, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Santa Rosa, Seminole, St. Johns, and Volusia counties.

To volunteer, email Seeds for Schools at SFS@flawildflowers.org for the names of participating schools in your area. Wildflower garden projects will begin in September, so please consider volunteering now. Your time will enrich the lives of Florida’s future generations!

Lisa Roberts
Executive Director
Florida Wildflower Foundation

Lake County Commission resolves
to conserve roadside wildflowers

June 2, 2010 – The Lake County Commission Tuesday voted unanimously to adopt a resolution to conserve and preserve native wildflowers on county roadsides. The resolution acknowledges native wildflowers’ environmental, historical and cultural significance while promoting their conservation through management practices – including reduced mowing that can save money.

Wildflowers are naturally prolific along Lake County’s roadways, including portions of U.S. Highway 19, State Roads 42 and 44, and County Roads 44A, 561, 445 and 439.

“I’m happy to see it,” Commissioner Elaine Renick said of the resolution as it was presented to the commission. “It’s not just good for the environment, it’s also good for our county.”

Florida Wildflower Foundation board chair Jeff Caster praised the county’s farsighted initiative, noting that wildflowers will be the prominent icon of the 500th anniversary celebration in 2013 of Ponce de Leon’s naming of La Florida, “land of flowers.”

“It is clear officials in Lake County understand bountiful native flowers hold the potential for enormous economic benefits through increased ecotourism,” he said. “The commission also recognizes wildflowers play a large role in the culture and heritage of La Florida.”

“The county long has been dedicated to the preservation of wildflowers and their ecosystems on natural lands such as PEAR Park,” said Lisa Roberts, FWF executive director. She noted that in 2007, the Foundation awarded Lake County a $2,000 grant to aid in the restoration of that park’s sandhill floral ecosystem.

Lake is the second Central Florida county to pass the resolution, which has been adopted by Volusia County as well as the Panhandle counties of Leon, Wakulla and Gadsden.

Those interested in proposing a wildflower resolution in their own counties should contact Ms. Roberts at 407-353-6164 or flawildflowers@gmail.com for more information

Florida's fantastic spring wildflower bloom
ushers in National Wildflower Week

As National Wildflower Week begins, visitors and residents traveling the state’s highways this week are being treated to Florida’s spring wildflower palette of yellows, reds and blues. Highlights include:
  • Medians and pastures filled with pink, white, red and lavender phlox.
  • Ditches carpeted by blue-eyed grass and punctuated by blue flag Iris.
  •  Ponds and lakeshores bursting with white fragrant lilies, yellow knobs of spatterdock blossoms and pickerelweed’s blue spikes.
  •  Woodland meadows full of delicate yellow hatpins, pink powderpuffs and Coreopsis – Florida’s state wildflower.
Why credit winter’s rains? “Native wildflowers set their seeds after summer and fall blooms. As wet winter cold fronts roll over Florida, the seeds get an excellent boost for spring,” says Lisa Roberts, Florida Wildflower Foundation executive director. “This year, with all the rain we had, it’s easy to see how La Florida, ‘land of flowers,’ might have earned its name.” 
Roadway medians and shoulders that have gone unmowed since last fall have the showiest wildflowers. Notables include:  In the Panhandle, State Road 65 in Franklin and Liberty counties; County Road 379 in Liberty County, and along the length of Interstate 10
.
  • In North Florida, U.S. Highway 27, Suwannee County; U.S. 129, south of Live Oak, and U.S. 17 between Palatka and DeLand.
  • In Central Florida, I-75, Pasco County; Florida’s Turnpike at Okahumpka Plaza and Mile Markers 272 and 280.4 (northbound) and 236 and 193 (southbound).
  • In South Florida, near the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Collier County.
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Florida Wildflower Foundation welcomes
2 new members to board of directors

The Florida Wildflower Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael A. Gilkey Jr., Sarasota, and Donna Torrey, Pompano Beach, to its board of directors.

Mr. Gilkey is a landscape architect at Michael A. Gilkey Inc. He will represent the Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects on the 10-member board. He brings to the Foundation a depth of knowledge in appropriate design applications for wildflowers and native flowering plants. "I look forward to learning more about Florida's wildflowers, and helping to suggest ways they might be used more prolifically," Gilkey said. "Most of us are familiar with the Foundation's highway beautification efforts, but there are many ways we can use wildflowers and other natives in everyday projects that will benefit Florida's residents, visitors, wildlife and ecosystems."

Ms. Torrey joins the board to represent the University of Florida/IFAS' Florida Master Gardener program. She owns The Garden Gate shop in Pompano Beach, which emphasizes Florida native plants and wildflowers, and is an active member of the Association of Florida Native Nurseries. Additionally, she serves on Broward County's Naturescape Task Force and the City of Pompano Beach's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. She is also a National Wildlife Federation Habitat Steward and writes a monthly column for three local newspapers.

"Michael and Donna bring valuable expertise and ideas to the board. Their guidance will help steer the Foundation's future success as the state and nation begin to focus on the La Florida - Land of Flowers quincentennial celebration in 2013," said board chairman Jeff Caster.

The Foundation's mission is to enrich lives with Florida's native wildflowers. It receives the $15 donation made with each sale of the State Wildflower license tag and disperses the funds statewide to support research, education and planting projects.
Among the other agencies and organizations represented on its board are the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, Florida Department of Transportation, Association of Florida Native Nurseries, Florida League of Cities, University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Florida Wildflower Seed and Plant Growers Association and the Florida Native Plant Society.

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